Some people will tell you that looks don’t really count for anything in
rock music. Others will tell you that what you’re playing doesn’t mater
at all – it’s all about how you’re playing.
We’re here to tell you that those people are wrong, and give detailed
reasons for why the most important instrument in rock music can have an
impact that goes beyond the sound. Here are the twenty-one most iconic
guitars in rock music:

12. Gene Simmons’ “Axe” Bass

Say what you will about Kiss and their music, it’s pretty much
impossible to deny how powerful the band’s image has been over the
years, always making them the act to see live rather than listen to at
home. But enough about that – Gene Simmons has a bass guitar shaped like
a fucking axe. Originally conceived in 1978 as something to make his
“Demon” character look a bit more iconic onstage (fire-breathing and
spitting blood didn’t give Simmons quite the amount of attention he
craved, apparently), it went on to be a fine example of “instrument
shaped like ordinary object.”